Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 collycauseschaos Oct 01, 2009 2:46:58	Skip to the bolded text if you don't want to read my scattered thoughts. As a foreword, I would like the mention that balance is important, but it is not my top priority in the changes I would like to see with the druid class as a whole. I know there are some serious balance freaks on the boards, and I myself feel that the game works better with a fine tuned engine behind it. When one player outshadows another player, there is a problem. Bear with me here in my revisions and attempts at houseruling druids. My distaste for the druid class itself stems primarily from the lack of features the druid class has in its arsenal. In total, druid has the following. - Rituals - Path Choice - Wild Shape - Extra At-Will Now, ritual casting is passed around from several classes, even some leaders get this feature. It's the feature I'm most comfortable keeping on the druid, and am glad was given to them. The path choice itself doesn't make a druid unique, as much as it does a sorceror or an invoker, it simply provides a minor buff to game stats, and hardly affected a druid's playstyle, only feat choices and power riders. The extra at-will was only a catch-all that prevents players from choosing only wild-shape powers or out-of-wild-shape powers. Now, here's my beef. After playing the class, I found the least satisfying part of playing a druid was choosing my powers. In editions past, a druid progressed in his beast form just as his spellcasting progressed. In this edition, it's a choice between one or the other whenever you recieve a power. I was very disatisfied with my "mostly wild-shape" druid I was playing, because even though I grabbed a spell here and there, I felt that wildshape was a limiting factor in my fights. I didn't feel like I was changing forms tactically, but rather to use all my powers as to not waste them. Here's the proposed addition. Dual Nature Every time a druid gains an encounter power, he chooses one encounter power with the beast form keyword and one other without the beast form keyword. The powers must be from the same level. When using an encounter power from the druid class, one other druid encounter power of the same level is expended as well. This is definitely an upgrade from the base druid, and is obviously pretty powerful. It does give the druid more incentive to constantly change between forms and makes up for what I believe are poor class features and design. I understand the power gain from this ability, but the general consensus on the forums that the druid is one of, if not THE weakest controller, coupled with the fact that there are very little optimized builds for druids might hint that some sort of fix should be warranted. As this feature stands though, there may need to be some drawback to this ability. Overall, my design goal is to promote growth in both wildshape and spellcasting equally, without forcing the player to switch on and off every time they gain a power choice, and without forcing playstyle decisions on the player. Suggestions are welcome, but ultimately this is what I want to see accomplished, some way or another.
#2 slobo777a Oct 01, 2009 7:15:48	I don't see this as over-powering. If the consensus is that it is a bit too good, then there is an obvious balance point - how much effort the Druid must take to switch forms. Up-rating the action required to change forms would make it not only balanced, but also an interesting decision about whether the switch forms or not during an intense combat. Which will make it feel more druid-like, you are thinking about the abilities of each form and making a tactical decision whether you have the time to change form to something more advantageous, or should keep going in the current form.
#3 broskt Oct 01, 2009 7:39:26	This definitely makes a lot of sense, it doesn't come off as too powerful, it's just the wizard's spellbook only a little broader. It would be a little messy just because you would have twice the powers floating around but hey, that's a good thing really :p I do feel that this should take the place of one of the path options though. Thematically it makes sense that the druid doesn't spend their time focusing on one aspect or the other, but the druid class as a whole. Also, if it's a path option then it seems perfectly balanced.
#4 Qube Oct 01, 2009 13:18:19	Basically, the druid needs to decide between ranged (normal powers) and mellee (beast powers). However, he's not the only one. So, IMO its balanced, if you allow such a rule for clerics, paladins, rangers, etc
#5 generalhenry Oct 01, 2009 14:26:57	rangers, etc   ranger, rogues, and artificers already have plenty of powers that work for both melee and ranged
#6 collycauseschaos Oct 02, 2009 21:38:59	Thanks for all the feedback guys! Well, giving other classes this ability as well would have to be a case-by-case basis. I honestly believe that other classes get more fun abilities than a druid does, so that's why I'm tempted to make this call. For instance, wizards themselves gain cantrips, double dailies and utilities, and much better path options. Also, their powers are subjectively better than most druid powers (it's not just me who feels this way). Druids power comes from the ability to switch between melee and ranged, which I don't see as redeeming enough to call the class finished and balanced. I believe it's because you don't get power that do two things, such as rangers. I view, probably wrongly, that wildshape is a minor action tax that makes you access the other half of your powers. The whole point is to affect druids singularly, to make them more interesting than they currently are.
#7 Qube Oct 03, 2009 3:49:58	rangers rangers, OK; but other classes (paladin, cleric to name 2) need to choose between implement (ranged) or weapon (melee). I agree that a case-by-case selection would be required ...
#8 generalhenry Oct 03, 2009 12:06:20	rangers rangers, OK; but other classes (paladin, cleric to name 2) need to choose between implement (ranged) or weapon (melee). I agree that a case-by-case selection would be required ...       My point was, if you want a character that's flexible about attacking from melee or range, you can build one already.